TAIF: Taif Season is one of 11 festivals aimed at transforming the Kingdom into an important global tourist destination. Dozens of events have been taking place this month in the southwestern city, which is famous for its heritage and beautiful landscapes.
But visitors have less than two weeks to enjoy this particular cultural celebration, which includes a camel festival, a vibrant souq, a rose village, a circus show, and a poetry competition with prizes of up to SR1 million ($266,667).
One of the highlights of Taif Season is Souq Okaz, where people can experience the culture of 11 different Arab nations by visiting pavilions showcasing the food, art and goods from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia. There is also, of course, a pavilion for the host nation.
More than 2,000 actors, dressed in traditional clothes, greet people in Arabic and create stories based on their exchanges with visitors.
Performers also recreate scenes from the past that help visitors to know more about Taif’s life in a different, pre-Islamic era.
The souq also plays host to some of the region’s biggest musical stars such as the UAE’s Ahlam and Hussein El Jasmi, and Syria’s Assala.
There are also performances from Saudi Arabia’s Abadi Al-Johar and Dalia Mubarak. These concerts will take place between Aug. 23 and Aug. 30.
Okaz Avenue conjures up the past through artistic events featuring the work of famous Arab poets and intellectuals such as Annabigha Al-Dhubyani, Imru Al-Qais, Amr bin Kalthoum, Tarafa bin Al-Abd and Antara bin Shaddad. There are duels with swords and spears, horse and camel convoys, and re-enactments of ancient auctions.
Historians believe that Souq Okaz may date back more than 1,500 years. It was popular with a diverse audience, with Arabs flocking there for all kinds of reasons. It attracted tribes and poets. It was a place for everything from deal-making to war reconciliation sessions. Valuable items from overseas were exhibited there, transported by convoys from Damascus and Yemen. This hubbub has disappeared over the years, but the souq’s former vibrancy is being brought back to life, with its latest reincarnation in the form of Taif Season.
Elsewhere in the city, Ruddaf Park highlights the history of the rose perfume industry that Taif has long been known for.
Taif sits in the Sarawat Mountains and is one of the few places in the Kingdom where people can enjoy pleasant temperatures throughout the year. It has the perfect conditions for growing the Taif Rose. This perfume has a special role in the ceremonial washing of the Holy Kaaba covering, known as the kiswat.
Taif is also known for its agricultural products and visitors to the city’s fruit market can enjoy the taste of locally grown grapes, pomegranates and figs.
Thrill-seekers can take part in more vigorous events such as free jumping, parachuting and mountain jogging, while also getting unique views of the city’s landmarks.
Families can head to the camel festival, where there are acrobats, clowns and educational activities.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The festival includes a camel festival, a vibrant souq, a rose village, a circus show, and a poetry competition with prizes of up to $266,667.

• The souq attracted tribes and poets. It was a place for everything from deal-making to war reconciliation sessions.

There are events in the city’s main malls as well as tours to Taif’s historical landmarks and mosques.
Most attractions run between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m, although some finish later.
Taif Season aims to highlight Saudi Arabia as an international tourist destination, Taif’s historical status, its cultural and artistic diversity, and its moderate climate.
It also seeks to contribute to achieving goals within the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform plan, which aims to improve the quality of life, raise living standards, and create career and investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
Ahmed Al-Khateeb, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, said last month that the season depended on positive engagement with Taif’s residents, and was providing seasonal job opportunities for young men and women, as well as investment opportunities for regional entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises.
“We’ll celebrate a successful season,” the Saudi Press Agency reported him as saying, as he urged the private sector to contribute to enriching future ones.
Taif Season has its own social media account — https://twitter.com/taifseason?lang=en and information can also be found on the Saudi Seasons website here https://www.saudiseasons.sa/en. Taif Season runs until Aug. 31.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s energy minister said drones that attacked Saudi Aramco installations had caused an interruption of an estimated 5.7 million barrels in crude supplies and threaten the world economy.

The Arab Coalition spokesman Col. Turki Al-Maliki said in a statement that investigations are ongoing to identify the perpetrators.

And Al-Maliki said Arab coalition forces would continue to implement necessary measures to deal with the terrorist threats.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said as a result of the terrorist acts, oil production in Abqaiq and Khurais was knocked out temporarily and that estimates show that 50 percent of the company’s production had been interrupted.

Part of the decrease will be compensated to clients through reserves, Prince Abdulaziz said in a statement carried on the Saudi Press Agency.

The newly appointed minister confirmed there were no injuries to staff at the locations targeted, adding that the company is still assessing the resulting damage.

The attacks not only target the Kingdom’s vital installations, but also target the international oil supply and threaten its security, he said, and are a threat to the world economy.

The blasts took place at 3:31am and 3:42am at the two locations, both in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, causing fires that were brought under control by emergency services.

The drone attacks, at the world’s largest oil processing plant at Abqaiq and at an oilfield in Khurais, highlight the importance of the international community to protect energy supply against “all terrorist sides that carry out, support and finance such cowardly disruptive acts,” the statement said.

He said that these blasts also knocked out the production of 2bn cubic feet of associated gas daily, used to produce 700,000 barrels of natural gas liquids, which will lead to an approximate 50 percent decrease of Ethane and natural gas liquids supply.

The statement said the company is currently working on restoring the lost quantities, and will present updated information within the next 48 hours.

World leaders condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia on Saturday and those behind the terrorist acts.

Donald Trump called Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to reassert his country's “readiness to cooperate with the Kingdom, by all means conducive to maintain its security and stability.”

The Crown Prince "underscored the Kingdom’s willingness and strength to thwart such a terrorist aggression and deal with its consequences,” SPA reported on Saturday.

The UAE said it “condemns this act of terrorism and sabotage and considers it as a new evidence of the terrorist groups’ attempts to undermine the security and stability of the region as a whole.”

“The Houthis must stop undermining Saudi Arabia’s security by threatening civilian areas and commercial infrastructure,” said the British government.

“The US strongly condemns today’s drone attacks. These attacks against critical infrastructure endanger civilians, are unacceptable, and sooner or later will result in innocent lives being lost,” said the US envoy in Riyadh John Abizaid.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was emphatic about the need to condemn Iranian aggression, specifically on Saudi Arabia, and the need to ensure the security of world energy supplies.

“Tehran is behind nearly 100 attacks on Saudi Arabia while Rouhani and Zarif pretend to engage in diplomacy. Amid all the calls for de-escalation, Iran has now launched an unprecedented attack on the world’s energy supply. There is no evidence the attacks came from Yemen,” he tweeted, “We call on all nations to publicly and unequivocally condemn Iran’s attacks. The United States will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied and Iran is held accountable for its aggression”

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, said they had carried out the attacks and that 10 drones had been used.